Netflix Cancels Drama Series Just After Season 2 Premieres
Netflix has wielded its merciless axe once again. The streamer needs to see instant results in order to renew a show, and it was not liking the viewership numbers that Warrior Nun was earning. Netflix canceled the new series a month after the drama's second season debuted. Warrior Nun starred Alba Baptista as a 19-year-old who joins an ancient group of warrior nuns.
The first season of Warrior Nun debuted on July 2, 2020, with the second season debuting on Nov. 10, 2022. It finishes its run with just 18 episodes produced. Warrior Nun developed a devoted fanbase, but it was never as big a hit as Netflix's other recent success stories. Season 2 only spent three weeks in Netflix's Weekly Top 10 English-language series chart before disappearing, notes Deadline. It peaked at number five on the chart.
Fans of the series are not happy; in fact, they are coming together to try and save the show. A Change.org petition is calling on Netflix to reverse its decision. Although the petition was technically created before the cancelation as fans rallied for a renewal, it has seen a drastic increase in signatures in recent days, now boasting more than 48,000 signatures – more than four times the amount it had prior to the show's cancellation.
Warrior Nun was based on the manga-style American comic book character Warrior Nun Areala, created by Ben Dunn. Baptista, who also serves as narrator, played Ava Silva, a quadriplegic orphan who gains supernatural powers thanks to the divine artifact embedded in her back. She joins the ancient Order of the Cruciform Sword, a group of warrior nuns who have been fighting demons on Earth.
The lead cast also included Lorena Andrea, Kristina Tonteri-Young, Tristan Ulloa, Thekla Reuten, Sylvia De Fanti, and William Miller. Simon Barry (Van Helsing, Bad Blood) created the series and served as executive producer. Warrior Nun was produced by Reality Distortion Field and filmed in Spain.
Warrior Nun is the second fantasy drama canceled by Netflix in recent days. Last week, Half Bad: The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself creator Joe Barton confirmed his YA fantasy drama was canceled about a month after it was released. Half Bad was based on Sally Green's novel about the illegitimate son of a witch who was struggling with following in his father's footsteps. The show's eight-episode first season was released on Oct. 28. It earned rave reviews from critics and viewers, but it did not have enough viewers to justify a Season 2 renewal for Netflix.
Netflix has a history of ordering YA dramas in the fantasy, vampire, and supernatural genres, but not committing to long runs, as Forbes recently pointed out. Other shows in this sphere that did not last long include Cursed, First Kill, I Am Not Okay With This, The Society, Teenage Bounty Hunters, The Midnight Club, The Imperfects, Daybreak, and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Wednesday has been a smash hit and is likely to get a second season, but Netflix has not officially renewed it yet.